480 



COLEOPTEKA. 



The Blister beetles, of which Lytta (Cantharis) affords many 

 species, secrete the substauee known as " Cantharadine." The 



Spanish- fly is 

 used in commerce, 

 and is a bright 

 shining green spe- 

 cies. Our native 

 forms, which as 

 'J_ well as M e 1 o e , 

 when dried, can 

 Fig. 403. "be used for pro- 



ducing blisters, are dark colored. Their larvae have the same 

 form as that of Meloe ; it remains yet to ascertain their 

 true habits, though Latreille states that they live beneath the 

 ground feeding on the roots of vegetables. Among 

 the species of Blister beetles which are especially 

 injurious to the potato are Lyita vittata Fabr. (Fig. 

 452), L. cinerea Fabr. (Fig. 453, a), L. miirina Lee. 

 (Fig. 453, 6), and L. marginata Fabr. (Fig. 454). 

 Pliodaga alticeps Lee. (Fig. 455 ; 1, front of male ; 

 2, profile of male ; 3, anterior tibia and tarsus ; 4, 

 Fig. 454. middle tibia ; 5, claw ; from Horn) is a Californian 

 species, remarkable for the great differences between the 

 sexes, in the form of the legs and tarsi. 



Rhipiphorid^. Gerstaecker. This family is characterized 

 by Leconte as having a vertical head, with perfect mouth- 

 parts, affixed to the prothorax b}^ a very slender neck, which 

 is entirely contained within the prothorax, while the vertex is 

 usually elevated. The eleven-jointed 

 antennae (ten-jointed in the female of 

 certain species) are pectinate or flabel- 

 late in the males, and frequently serrate 

 in the females. The prothorax is as 

 large as the elytra at base, much narrowed in front, and the 

 elytra, rarely covering the abdomen, are usually narrowed be- 

 hind, diverging on the back. The legs are long and slendet, 

 with filiform tarsi, and the claws are pectinate or toothed, be- 

 ing rarely simple. They are found on flowers. The larval 



